Stratiform gold-rich massive sulphide replacement skarn mantos, hosted in limestones, and lesser veins, hosted in dacitic volcanic rocks. Past production and reserves amount to about 10 million tons of ore grading at 8% Zn, 0.6% Cu, 1.5% Pb, 1.5 g/t Au and 50 g/t Ag, on average.
The deposit was discovered in the early 1970s. The Metallgesellschaft AG owned the property for a number of years and then sold it to a Chilean entrepreneur, who started mining it in 1984. It was subsequently purchased by Lac Minerals. In 1994, Barrick Gold Corporation acquired Lac Minerals which included El Toqui. Breakwater Resources Ltd. purchased Toqui in August 1997.
The property includes the stratiform Aserradero, Concordia, Doña Rosa-Mallin Sur, Estatuas, Mallin-Mónica and San Antonio orebodies, and the Antolin and Zúñiga discordant vein deposits.
References:- Mining Annual Review (1985): 56.
- Wellmer, F.W., Reeve, E.J., Wentzlau, E. and Westenberger, H. (1983): Geology and ore deposits of the Toqui District, Aysen, Chile. Economic Geology 78(6), 1119-1143.
- Ruiz Fuller, C., and Peebles, F. (1988): Yacimientos metalíferos de Chile. Fondecyt (Santiago de Chile).
- Townley, B.K., and Godwin, C.I. (2001): Isotope characterization of lead in galena from ore deposits of the Aysén Region, southern Chile. Mineralium Deposita 36, 45-57.
- Maksaev, V., Townley, B., Palacios, C., and Camus, F. (2007): Metallic ore deposits. In: Moreno, T., and Gibbons, W. (editors): The Geology of Chile. The Geological Society (London), pp. 414.
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http://www.breakwater.ca/Operations/Toqui/default.aspx 30 entries listed. 17 valid minerals.
